Twenty-five-year-old Rachel, sadly, suffered a car accident shortly after high school, where a break to both her legs put a stop to her football dreams. Luckily, one’s club’s unique, no-score concept has helped her rebuild her confidence and enjoy sport again.
Rachel shared: “I played football in high school for 6 years, from the junior to the senior team, and won or was a finalist in the local school division 2-3 times. I was training 1-2x a week and playing against a different school once a week during the term. I really enjoyed it and it was my main form of fitness in high school!”
Heading into university, Rachel hoped she would make the team at the University of Sussex, but an unfortunate car accident left her needing to learn how to walk again after breaking both legs. Eight months later, Rachel started university; however, she was still on crutches.
Rachel continued: “Even though I recovered, I was pretty down by it all and not confident in starting sport again, let alone much physical contact sport. Part of it was also knowing I wouldn’t be on top form anymore and feeling nostalgic for my past self, and wanting to preserve that memory.
“I took up spin classes as I felt safe strapped on to a bike, but every time I’d close my eyes and feel the music, I’d imagine I was on the pitch again, running and cheering on my teammates.”
Gals FC was created by Lorne Magill and Nora Beqaj in 2022, with the goal of building a local community of women to have fun and make friends. They made it non-competitive because they wanted to make sure the people who came were coming to have fun, not compete. This led to a community that had cheerleading at its core in all areas.
Image: Rachel at Wembley Stadium
“My friend Noa told me about Gals FC about a year after we finished university, she was playing in Brighton, and I signed up to Whitechapel. It was everything I didn’t know I could find, but it fit exactly what I was looking for. No competition, no pressure, just being myself and playing for the fun and social. I absolutely loved the feeling of being in a safe space.
“Gals FC has improved my confidence. What I thought was just a lack of physical confidence was also an emotional and mental one. Joining Gals FC has helped me to learn to love this mental part of my recovery journey, enjoy sport again, and helped me meet new people. It breaks up my week and is something I look forward to, which improves my overall well-being.”
Rachel is one of hundreds of women now playing regularly with Gals FC, which has seen a 90% increase in games since the start of the year. The club has grown from a few matches in London to 19 communities across the UK, including Gosport, Brighton, Ipswich, Derby, Liverpool, York, and Leeds, with plans to have 50 games running weekly by the end of the year in places like Nottingham, Sheffield, and Birmingham.
The club’s rise comes at a time when competitive pressure on women is at an all-time high. According to Gals FC’s recent study:
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78% say they feel compared to other women in everyday life.
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Nearly half (48%) feel hobbies and activities are a key area of comparison.
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And three in five (62%) feel the pressure to compete and “better” themselves against other women.
Rachel herself felt a lot of pressure to be a role model when growing up, and as the eldest sister, encouragement often came with comparisons.
“While it was meant as motivation, I think it shaped the way I sought validation. Whether it was being class president, choosing creative extracurriculars over traditional paths, or landing the lead in school plays, I internalised the idea that my success was a reflection of others’ pride,” she shared.
Since joining the club, Rachel has now become a Vibe Protector, sharing how she feels it is a chance to be part of something that actively makes women’s lives better.
“It’s nice to have a responsibility that’s entirely about joy, community, and movement. I love planning drills and showing up, knowing that for someone, this session might be the highlight of their week. When someone tells me at the end of a session that they almost didn’t come but are so glad they did – it means a lot!” Rachel shared.
Image credit: Gals FC
Since joining Gals FC:
- Two-thirds of members say they feel more confident in who they are.
- Over half (51%) feel more supported in life.
- And four in five (82%) have made new friends.
Rachel commented: “Advice I would give is to just give it a try, it could be exactly what you need, even if you don’t know it yet. If you’ve had a setback, whether physically or mentally, Gals FC is a safe space to ease back into it.”
- Emilia Atkin
